Automatic system of distribution and control for electric railways



(No Model.) 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. H. OOOLBY.

AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL FOR ELEGTRIG' -i" RAILWAYS, 6:0. No. 573,645. Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

FIGURE 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM II. COOLEY, OF BROCKPORT, NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC SYSTEM OF DISTRIBUTION AND CONTROL FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAYS, &c.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 573,645, dated December 22, 1896.

Application filed August 3, 1895. Serial No. 558,078. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. COOLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockport, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Systems of Distribution and Control for Electric Railways, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the prevention of head-on or rear-end collisions on electric railroads by means of automatic appliances operated, so far as may be, preferably by means of the electric current furnishing the motive power on such railroads.

\Vit-h this object in view my invention consists in supplying the currentto the motor on the car over a series of working conductors, with means for connecting such working conductors with a continuous feeder in such a way that a working conductor upon which a car or train happens at any time to be shall be connected with the continuous feeder, while by means of electrically-controlled devices controlled from the motor-car or train, a working conductor to the rear as well as also another one in advance of the motor-car are automatically cut out, so that they cannot receive current from the continuous feeder.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic representation of a circuit and apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention, while Fig. 2 shows 'in a similar diagram the apparatus and connections therefor employed on a car constructed to cooperate with the other features of my invention just above described.

I do not, however, in practicing my invention limit myself to devices of the specific nature and construction herein shown and described, as obviously, without departing from the spirit thereof, very many modifications may be made therein adapting it to dili'erent features and styles of construction in railroading.

The essential features of my present invention consist in a series of disconnected working conductors located parallel with a continuous feeder and a series of closers for connecting such working conductors with the continuous feederin such a way that the work- 'of any given motor-car.

ing conductor upon which a motor-car hap- I pens at any time to be located will be connected to the continuous feeder by means of devices acting at the same time also in a way to hold in a disconnected relation relative to such continuous feeder the working conductors located on the block immediately to-the rear and immediately in advance of the one on which the motor-car is located, so that a car approaching from the rear or from the opposi te direction can receive no current from those working conductors on the block immediately to the rear or in advance of the firstmentioned motor-car.

My invention further consists in devices carried by the car cooperating with others along the track or path of the car and connected with such continuous feeder for bringing about this result, and it further consists in an arrangement of circuits, switches, and mechanism on the car cooperating to reverse or cutout, or both reverse and cut out, the motor on any car the moment the trolley on such motor-car gets upon a working conductor which is not supplied from or connected to the continuous feeder, by reason of its being cut out therefrom, by the action of another motor-car located on a working conductor on the block immediately in advance thereof.

My invention further consists in mechanism under the control of the car, but actuated by the main current supplied to such railroad system, for giving to the moiormen on the cars along the track a visual signal in the way of targets and lamps so arranged and operated as to indicate the exact condition of the track for at least one block in either direction By this same system of visible signals a motorman is enabled to determine whether the block upon which his car happens to be located has the current cut I off therefrom by means of a car approaching toward him or receding from him. An important advantage of this system of operating signals by means of a current constituting the motive power for the system is noticed in the fact that a failure of the signal, except in case of accident resulting in a disorganization of loc the system in some of its parts, may only result in the case of a failure of the supply in the main actuating-current of the system, and the signals are so arranged that their failure to act constitutes a danger-signal.

The accompanying drawings being purely' diagrammatic, many features therein are illustrated only conventionally.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, A is a continuous feeder, connected with which are seen the pendulous arms a, of magnetic material, each having thereon, near its lower end, spring-contacts it. These pendulous arms a make contact at their lower ends with the upwardly-projecting springs 2' and j, formed on the ends of the working conductors C and 0. These springs 2' and j are so positioned relative to the pendulous arms a that 'such pendulous arms shall make contact with a spring 2' or with a springj only, one at a time.

The motor-car I, running upon the track B, which may form the return-circuit for the current traversing the feeder A, carries the trolley-arm L, terminating at its upper end in two connected trolley-wheels 70, between which is located the vertically-projecting spring-arm m, of conducting material, preferably copper arranged to engage the copper pins h on the lower ends of the arms a, so as to maintain between the feeder A and the trolley-arm L an electrical contact while the pendulous arm a is passing from one block to another. A block in my system consists of two working conductors, as O and 0, between any two adjacent pendulous arms a. These pins h project horizontally from the lower end of the pendulous arms a, so as to cause a spring-arm m, carried by the trolley-arm- L on the car, to push or swing such pendulous arms in the direction in which the car is goin g and carry them against suitable limitingstops formed on spring-contacts iandj. This spring-arm m, when it has carried or moved a pendulous arm a against a limiting-stop, yields so as to pass under the projecting pins h and immediately resumes its former position in readiness to move the next pendulous arm a with which it comes in contact. Thus it will be seen that the motor-car as it advances in either direction causes a pendulous arm (t to make contact between the feeder A and a working conductor a when moving to the right and with a working conductor 0 when moving to the left, just in advance of the car. By means of each of these pend ulous arms there are formed two circuits in parallel between the feeder A and the rail B, such circuits passing through the coils D and N I on electromagnets F and E and also through signal-lamps p and b. Each of these circuits is completed through wires 5 and 6. Between one end of the wire 5 and each of the electromagnets F there is located a springswitch f, while between the other end of the Wire 5 and each of the electromagnets E there is located a spring-switch 6. These spring-switches c and f are all of them normally closed when the pendulous arms a occupy a neutral or vertical position. These pendulous arms a, however,

carry, each of them, two insulated hooks (1, arranged to engage and open a spring-switch e or f on the side thereof opposite to the direction in which such pendulous arm a may at any time be moved by a spring-arm m, carried by the trolley L of a motor-car I. The spring-contacts n, located at thebottom of each of the pendulous arms and on the righthand side thereof, are arranged, as shown, to make connection with the adjustable contacts 2, connected by wires 4 with the coils N of the electromagnets E, while like spring-contacts a make connection also on the left-hand sides of arms a with like adjustable contacts 1, connected by the wires 3 with the coils D of the electromagnets F. These electromagnets E and F also have the other ends of their coils N and D connected, respectively, with spring-switches e and f. From this it will be seen that as feeder A constitutes the main supply and the track B the main return circuit, circuits in derivation are formed between them, traversing coils N and D on an pair of electromagnets E and F, located between any two adjacent pendulous arms a, by the movement of either of such pendulous arms a in a direction toward the other, that is, take any one of the pendulous arms a and moving it to the right will cause a spring-contact a to make connection with an adjustable contact 2, thus closing one of such derived circuits, causing the current to take the following course, viz: from feeder A through such pendulous arms a, .wire 4, coil N of an electromagnet E, spring-switch e, to lamp 1), wires 5 and (5 to track B. This of course e11- ergizes an electromagnet E, causing the pendulous arm a to the right thereof to be moved by the attraction of such electromagnet E to the left, carrying a left-hand spring-contact it against an adjustable contact 1, thus closing another derived circuit through the coil D on that electromagnet F next to the left of such electromagnet E, causing the current traversing the same to take the following course, viz: from feeder A through arm a, just attracted and moved by the electromagnet E, then through wire 3, coil D of the electromagnet F, switch f. to lamp 1), wires 5 and 6 to track B.

Thus it will be seen that the movement of any pendulous arm a in either direction first closes the circuit of an electromagnet E or F, controlling the next pendulous arm Ct, located in the direction in which such first-named pendulous arm has been moved, and causing each of such two pend ulous arms, when either one of them is moved in a direction toward the other, to close derived circuits containing coils N and D on electromagnets E and F, electromagnetically holding each of such pendulous arms a in such a position as to close derived circuits containing such coils N and D on electromagnets E and F, holding each of such pend ulous arms in this position. Thus a pendulous arm, when moved in either direction, throws into its energizing-circuit a coil on an electromagnet E or F, actuating the next pendulous arm a in the direction in which such first one has been moved, causing it to move in the opposite direction, whereby it will be understood that the movement of any pendulous arm a causes the next adjacent one in the direction of such movement to move toward such first-named pendulousarm a. Thus any two adjacent arms a, when either of them is moved in the direction toward the other, are electromagnetically attracted toward each other. Hence it will be seen that the passage of the trolley car I under any pendulous arm a looks into operative circuit or connection with the feeder A the two working conductors O and 0 immediately in advance of such car.

It is preferable that the derived circuits between the feederA and the track B, containing the coils N and D on electromagnets E and F, should be of equal resistance.

Upon each of the pendulous arms a are secured the rigid insulated hooks d, projecting in opposite directions therefrom, and each operating, by the movement of the arm a, to open a spring-switch e or f, located on that side of such pendulous arm opposite to the direction in which such arm is moved. Thus it will be seen that the movement of a pendulous arm in either direction opens the circuit of that electromagnet tending to hold it in the opposite direction and closes the circuit of an electromagnet tending to draw toward such first-named pendulous arm that pendulous arm located next thereto in the direction of such motion. These hooks cl are arranged so that they shall not engage springswitches e and f when the arms a occupy vertical or neutral positions.

The operation of the mechanism thus far described is as follows: Starting with the motor-car I in the position shown in the drawings, in order to get by a working conductor 0, where it is seen, supposed to be moving to the right, in coming from the conductor 0 to the conductor 0 it has moved the extreme left-hand pendulous arm a to the position shown in the drawings and has closed the circuit of the electromagnet E next to the rightthereof. Thishascausedthependulous arm (6 actuated thereby to be attracted to the left, thereby closing immediately the circuit of the electromagnet F, securely holding the pendulous arm a just passed in contact with the working conductor 0, upon which the car I is located, and this of course continuously retains in its energizing-circuit the electromagnet E next to the right, and thus holding the pendulous arm a actuated thereby to the leftin a position (shown in the drawings) so as to make contact with the working conductor 0 next to the right of the car I. This condition of affairs just described is maintained until the car I passes under the next pendulous arm a to the right thereof, moving it to the right in contact with the working conductor a to its right and opening by a hook (Z the spring-switch 6, located in the circuit of the magnet E, and also at the same time by breaking connection between spring-contact n and the adjustable contact 1, and thus also opening the circuit of the extreme left-hand magnet F, allowing the pendulous arm a, located to the left in the drawings, to resume its normal vertical and neutral position out of contact with either one of the adjacent working conductors O or c. From this it will be seen that so long as a car remains upon a block consisting of working conductors c and 0 between any two adjacent pendulous arms a the block immediately to the rear or immediately in advance of that one upon which the car I happens at the time to be located is automatically cut out from contact with the feeder A, and, further, that any second car going in either direction as soon as it enters upon a block containing the working conductors O and 0, either in advance or to the rear of that block upon which the firstvcar happens at the time to be located, cannot establish and maintain a connection between the feeder A and the working conductors located on that block in which such last-mentioned car is situated.

In the case of two cars approaching each other in opposite directions, that car which acts upon any one block before the approaching car gets upon the next adjacent block containing the working conductors O and c, the pendulous arms controlling the circuits on such last-named block cannot either of them be electromagnetically held in a position to place a working conductor on such last-named block in circuit until the firstmentioned car has advanced upon this lastmentioned block, so that the motorman on the car last to get. onto one of two adjacent blocks has notice of the presence of a car on the next block in advance of him by the stopping of his motor by the current being shut off therefrom, and that, too, at a sufficient distance from the other car to give him an opportunity to reverse his motor, or such motor may be reversed automatically by devices later to be described. Thus as soon as the car approaching from the other direction gets onto the same block he may run back to a switch or siding. This is rendered possible for the followingreasons: First, it has already been explained how any one car occupying a position upon any one block automatically cuts off the current from a car on an adjacent block at either end of that block upon which such first-named car is located;

same block, but this last-named car the n10- ment it enters upon such block at once secures a current-supply to any and all cars that may at that time be upon such block. Hence a car that has been by its momentum carried onto a block from which the current- -supply has been out off as soon as the curcated by the safety-signals above described.

In the case of any two cars going in the same direction, provided they start at least a block apart from each other, the car to the rear cannot approach the car in advance of itself nearer than the distance covered by a block containing working conductors C and 0, because while the car in advance is upon any one block the two pendulous arms at the ends of such block are held in a position approaching toward each other, and thus preventing the next pend ulous arm in either direction from being electromagnetically retained in a position to place into operative circuit with the continuous feeder A the working conductors O and c on that block immediately adjacent thereto in either direction. Thus it will be seen that a motor-car as long as it is on one block cuts off the current from the working conductors C and 0 contained in that block immediately to the rear or in advance of the one upon which such car happens to be located.

There is this difference, however, to be noticed in the relation which any two motor-cars sustain to each other when approaching in opposite directions and in the same direction. Taking the case shown in the drawings, it has already been explained how the motor-car I cuts out the current from the block preceding it, but it will be noticed at once that if the car to the rear of the one shown in the drawings shall, by its momentum, be carried beyond the pendulous arm immediately to the left of the one shown in the drawings then that pendulous arm just passed by such car, in the manneralready explained, will be caused to assume its normal vertical and neutral position, leaving such car approaching from the left hand entirely without the current-supply suflicient to propel the car; but it will at once be seen that the working conductors c are normally in connection with the continuous feeder A through the coils H of electromagnets E and the working conductors O are normally in connection with the continuous feeder A through the coils H on the electromagnets F. The resistances of these coils H and M should be such that the current traversing such coils will be sufiicient, by reason of the large numberof turns in such coils, to operate the pendulous arms a, but is still insuificient to operate the motor on the motor-car; and it will be noticed that there is no means yet described for securing to such car, or,rather, the working conductors contained in the block upon which such car is located, an electric current constituting means for propelling the car. This, of course, must not and cannot occur until the motor-car I has passed to the right into the next block and onto a working conductor 0 next in order to the right. Then it will of course be understood that the pendulous arm seen at the left hand of Fig. 1 being caused to assume its neutral vertical position, and the pendulous arm immediately to the left thereof being also, as already described, in its neutral vertical position, the car approaching from the left must receive its supply of current by means of devices other than those thus far described. I will now describe the means for supplying to such car under such conditions the actuating-current from the feeder r From this feeder A there extends a' series of wires making connection with the levers w and V at their fulcrums. These levers, each of them, carry an electric contact arranged to engage contacts carried on a series of spring-arms v and u, respectively. From these spring-arms r'a connection is made with one end of a coil M, wound on an electromagnet E. The other end of such coil is connected by means of the wire 8 with a working conductor 0. In a similar manner the levers \V carry contacts engaging like contacts formed on the spring-switches a, connected each in turn with one end of a coil II, wound on an electromagnet F, and having their other ends connected by wires 7 each with a working conductor C. These levers w and V cooperate with the springswitches r and 7!, respectively, in such a way, as seen that the local derived circuits in which each of such spring-switches is located are always closed when a pendulous arm a (actuating by means of a cross-arm at its upper end the levers w and TV) is located in its vertical and neutral position. Further, it should be noticed that these spring-switches o and to cooperate with levers w and W, respectively, in such a way also, as will be understood, that when any one of such pendulous arms a is held in either direction out of a neutral vertical position that spring-switch c or a located on that side of the pendulous arm a in the direction toward which such pendulous arm Ct has been moved and is held is closed, while that spring-switch c or a located on the other side of such pendulous arm a is opened. The result of this, it will be seen, is that a car located upon any working conductor 0 serves to complete the derived circuit containing a coil M, located on electromagnet E immediately to the right of such car, while acar similarly located upon a working conductor 0 serves to close the derived circuit containing a coil II on the electromagnet F, located immediately to the left of such car. The result of this action of closin g the derived circuits is, as will at once be understood, to energize an electromagnet E or F, which will bring about the same condition of affairs, 2'. e., regarding the supply of current through the pendulous arms a to the working conductors c and O, constituting that block upon which such just-above-mentioned electromagnets E and F are located, the same as though one of such pendulous arms had been actuated by a car entering a block between such electromagnets E and F and moving to an operative position one of such pend ulous arms a. These coils H and M, located on the electromagnets F and E, are so wound relative to the currents supplied to the derived circuits containing them that they are sufficient to fully energize the electromagnets F and E and cause them to attract and hold their correspondingpendulous arms a; but it should be borne in mind that a car having passed upon a working conductor on account of its momentum will have its current-supply completely out oif when a motor-car happens to be located anywhere upon the next block to the right of such working conductor 0, and also that as long as such last-mentioned car remains on the block to the right of that one upon which such first-mentioned car is located the pendulous arms located at either end of the block upon which such last-mentioned car is located are held in a position approaching each other, thereby holding in an opened relation the spring-switch 2; immediately to the left of such block and the spring-switch it immediately to the right of such block, and hence a car located on a working conductor 0 to the left of such block or on a working conductor 0 immediately to the right of such block cannot receive current through the energizing of the electromagnets E to the left of such block or F to the right of such block by means, respectively, of the coils M or H, because the derived circuits containing such coils are held open, respectively, by such switches 12 and u; but, as already mentioned, when the pendulous arms a occupy the neutral position then the working conductors C and c are connected with the continuous feeder A through the coils H and M, respectively, with the electromagnets F and E on each block. Hence the motorman whose car is located upon any block may, when the pendulous arms at either end of such block are allowed to assume their neutral vertical position, secure a current-supply to the working conductors on that block sufficient to propel his motor by closing the circuit of such motor, and thereby, through the already-described operation of the coils II and M, operate the pendulous arms at each end of that block on which he is located in such a way as to secure a current-supply to his motor.

In almost any railroad system it is necessary or important that some trains should have especial privileges of right of way. Of course this will necessitate that one of two approaching cars or trains shall be reversed and caused to go back to a siding in a case where they have approached so as to get upon adjacent blocks, unless there be a switch on one of the blocks. For this reason it is important that the motorman have a visual signal, when the current-supply is cut oif from his motor, of the direction in which that car or train is running by means of which his current-supply has been cut ofi. Hence I have arranged a system of targets for day signaling and lamps for night signaling, cooperating with the preceding mechanism, and which shall constitute to the motorman, under the conditions above mentioned, a visual indication of the condition of the track in front of him, i. 6., whether the car or train in front of him is going from or coming toward him. Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, each of these levers w and W carries on its free ends the targets, respectively, t and T. A series of screens 8 and S are arranged, as indicated, to conceal from view these targets 6 and T when such targets are held in their neutral positions, being that condition obtaining when the pendulous arms a actuating such targets occupy in turn their neutral vertical positions. In Fig. 1 such targets t and T are shown in all the possible relative positions which they may be caused to occupy by any possible conditions of affairs on the line. They are so operated, as indicated, from and by the pendulous arms a as to show a target I. or T, respectively, above a screen or S at that end of a block immediately adjacent to an occupied block, thus giving to a motorman an indication that the block next to him is already occupied when he sees a target showing above a screen. Immediately upon the passage of the motor-car from one block to another the pendulous arm between such blocks is caused to occupy an operative position, attracted and held in the direction of the motion of such car. This, it will be seen at once, causes a target t or T to show below a screen 8 or S, respectively, at each end of such block. This at once gives notice to the motorman who has run onto such block by momentum that there is another car approaching him upon the same block. He will then accordingly switch his motor into circuit in a reversed condition, and as soon as a car coming from the opposite direction secures in the regular way and by means of apparatus described and operating as above mentioned a current-supply to this block upon which his car has been carried by its momentum he will then proceed backward until he comes to a siding, when he may switch off and allow the other car to pass by him; but it should be borne in mind, however, that a motor-car which is backing up, being the first to get onto the next block, holds the block, in the manner already described, against any other car coming in either direction. A reference to Fig. 1 will show,

further, that a targett or T is caused to occupy an inoperative position when each of the two adjacent blocks between which such target is located is unoccupied. Hence amotorman when stalled upon any block, if he sees a target at the farther end of such block, being the block occupied by the car which has cut the current off from his own motor, assume its inoperative position behind a screen S or s,it constitutes a signal to him that he may proceed in the direction in which he was originally going. Hence it will be noticed at once that the targets 25 and T cooperate with the screens sand S, respectively, in a way to constitute a system of signals indicating to a motorman the exact condition of the track both in advance and to the rear of the block in which he is located. These targets answer for a system of day signals, but for signaling by night I prefer to employ a system of lamps, some of them colored and cooperating together to give signals of substantially the same nature as those already described. From each of the pendulous arms a there extends a flexible electric connection 1' to spring-switches e and f, one on each side thereof. Hence when a spring-switch e or f is closed there is at such time also closed, through the pendulous arm a, such spring-switch and a lamp 1) or p, as the case may be, through wires 5 and 6 and rail B, a derived circuit acting to render such lamp luminous. It will be noticed a lamp p can have its circuit closed only under the following conditions, that is, when the pendulous arm immediately to the left thereof is occupying either its vertical neutral position or an operative position moved to the right toward such lamp. lVhen such pendulous arm occupies a vertical neutral position, such lamp 1) may be in an operative circuit closed through a shunt branch on a circuit containing the coils D and N of the electromagnets F and E, respectively; but when such pendulous arm a is moved to the right a lamp 1) is contained in acircuit closed both through such shunt branch circuit just mentioned and in such derived circuit also containing such coils. In the same way a lamp Z) is in operative circuit when a pendulous arm o adjacent thereto and to the right thereof occupies either its neutral vertical position or is moved to the left toward such lamp. The lamps?) are all intended to be colored lights and the lamps 19 white lights, or each series may be of different color and both of them colored. A very satisfactory combination of colors for such lights would be to make those lettered Z) all red lights and those lettered 19 green lights. A lamp p and alamp b can both be burning only when the block immediately adjacent on either side to the block upon which they are contained is unoccupied, and that as soon as a block on either side of that one containing such lamps is occupied that lam p p or 1) adjacent to such block so to become occupied is extinguished. Hence the motorman upon any working conductor c or O by watching for the signals which the lamps give is able to determine,

suppose his current-supply to have been cut oif by a car on the next block in advance of him, whether the car that shut off his current is going from him or approaching toward him, because if going from him both lamps b and 19, located at the farther end of the block upon which the car is stopped, will be lighted as soon as the car on the block beyond him passes off from such block and onto the next succeeding one; but if such car be advancing toward him he will see either a lamp 1) or 19 only as soon as a car on the next block beyond him passes off from that block and onto the block on which he is located. Hence the motorman upon any car having the current shut 0E from his car by another car on a block in advance of his has only to watch the lamp-signals, and if he sees a lamp l) or a lamp 9 only he understands that the other car is approaching him and that he must reverse and back up to a switch and siding; but if he sees both such lamps then he understands that he may go ahead, because the other car is going from him. Hence the lamps, it will be seen, constitute a series of night signals forming the exact equivalent of the day signals consisting of the targets shown and described.

Cooperating with the system of signals both in the way of lamps and targets and with the system of distribution and cut outs between the continuous feeder A and the working conductors O and c, I employ apparatus 011 the car, consisting in switches, cut-outs, and reversing mechanism, cooperating together so as to eliminate, as far as possible, any requirement for discretion or interpretation of signals, except in one particular to be mentioned, on the part of the motorman.

Such apparatus I will now describe, referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings. The current from the trolley-arm L in passing to the armature and field of the motor traverses a controlling mechanism lettered generically R in Fig. l and illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 2. Such current passes from the trolley-arm L to a contact-point 9, thence normally through the switch 11 to a contact 13, thence through switch 16 to contacts 28 and 25 of a double-pole switch 27, thence through the field-coil of such motor as indicated, thence to contact-points 29 and 26 of said switch 27, thence to one of the brushes, carried by the rocker-arm 31, supplying current to the armature U, thence through such armature and out through the other brush carried by this rocker-arm 31, and by means of wire 32 to the truck-frame q, thence through the truck-wheels to the track B. This constitutes, as will be seen, a series arrangement between the field and the armature. The brushes, as will be noticed, are located at right angles to each other, there being only two of them for a four-pole machine. The

armature-conductors, it will be understood, should be arranged in what is commonly termed a series grouping or a four-pole two-path winding. In shunt relation with this circuit just described there is seen a circuit described as follows: wire 17, solenoid 18, wire 17 to wire 32. The solenoid-coil has located therein, in the usual manner, a core or plunger 19, connected and articulating with the left-hand end of the lever 20, fulcrumed at 31. The link 30 connects the right-hand end of lever 20 with the left-hand end of the rocker-arm 31, and communicates motion from such lever 20 to such rocker-arm. A connecting-link 2 f also serves in the manner indicated to communicate motion from the lever 20 to the double-pole switch 27, carrying thereon and at the upper and lower ends thereof electric contact blocks insulated from each other, as indicated. A third connecting-link 23 communicates motion from this lever 20 to switches 16 and 11 by means of detents, respectively, 22 and 33, rigidly secured on link 23.

The operation of the organized system of switches and circuits illustrated in Fig. 2 is as follows: So long as the current-supply is maintained the motor and motor-car are supposed to be going ahead, the condition of affairs illustrated in Fig. 2 being such as to effect such forward movement of the motorcar, but should the supply be cut off by means of the car passing onto a working conductor not supplied from the feeder A then the solen oid, core, and plunger, respectively, 18 and 19, not being energized by the current supplied to such car, such plunger 19, either from its own weight or by the assistance of the coilspring 21, falls, causing the lever 20, through link 30 and arm 31, to change the lead of the brushes carried by the rocker-arm 31. At this same time also this lever 20, through link 2'11, operates the double-pole switch 27 in such a way, as will at once be noticed, as to reverse the current direction in the field-coils only, while the direction of the current in the armature remains at all times the same, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 2. At the same time also level-20, through link 23, opens switch 11 by detent 33, throwing the same onto neutral contact 10, and at the same time this lever 20, through link 23 and a detent 22 thereon, opens switch 16, moving the same to the contact let. In this condition of affairs the motor-circuit is reversed only in the field-coils and the lead of the brushes is reversed, so that as soon as the motor is again supplied with current the car will proceed backward, or in the direction opposite to that in which it was at first moving. The contact-points 14 and 15 of switch 16 may be connected by means of a switch, as indi:

cated in dotted lines.

Immediately after the action just described has taken place, caused by the failure of the supply-circuit, the motorman watches for the signals, already fully described, to determine whether he is to go ahead or proceed backward with his motor reversed; but as an accident cannot occur if his motor is reversed automatically, as by means of apparatus and its operation just described, and as an accident could occur if he failed for any reason to reverse the motor under a condition of affairs on the track which would necessitate his going back it is very important that his motor should be automatically reversed, so that when his supply may be again assured to him on the working conductor he must exercise discretion in the movements and operations of the controlling apparatus in order to go ahead. \Vhen contact-points 14 and 15 are connected as indicated by a switch, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, then any failure of his to exercise such discretion cannot result in an accident, however, because his motor has already been reversed for him automatically, and in order to go ahead he must move switches 16 and 11 back to their regular positions, being those shown in the drawings; but if the switch (shown in dotted lines) connecting contact-points 14 and 15 is open then in order to go backward he has only to move switch 16 still farther over to the right and onto contact 15, but if the motorman when he should go backward makes a mistake in moving switch 16 over to the left on contact 13 the motor will not start, because it is necessary in order that the motor should go ahead that switches 11 and 16 should be upon the contacts 9 and 13, respectively. Thus his attention is called again to the signals and to the proper direction in which he should proceed. This causes the solenoid 18 and plunger 19 to be energized and thus retain the switches and the commutator-brushes in a position shown in Fig. 2, being that in which they are supposed to be found when the motor-car is advancing or moving forward. Again with contact-points 1i and 15 connected as indicated by a switch shown in dotted lines then immediately upon a supply of current being assured to the motor it starts up reversed, carrying the car backward, but with contacts 14: and 15 disconnected the motor-car may be caused to proceed backward by moving switch 16 still farther over to the right onto contact-point 15. Thus it will be seen that when the current-supply has been cut off from the motor it is necessary that the motorman should operate both of the switches 11 and 16, in order to go ahead, but that in order to go backward he has only to move switch 16 still farther over to the right onto contact 15, that is, with contact-points 14 and 15 disconnected, or while this switch 16 is on contact-point 14 he may connect contactpoints 14 and 15 by means of the switch, as shown in dotted lines. In any event but one operation is required to cause the motor to go backward, while it is necessary to move two switches in order to go forward.

In railroad construct-ion in general it often happens that by reason of necessary curves in the road the signals located at the termini of the block-sections cannot be very far distant from each other, and hence under a high rate of speed between two approaching cars if one is nearly to the end of the block just as another is about to enter an adjacent block from the opposite direction the 1no mentum of such last-named car may carry it so far forward before it has been stopped that it will be necessary, in order to avoid a collision, that no time be lost between the stoppage of such car and the reversal of the motor, previous to a condition of affairs when such motor may again receive current. For this reason, therefore, I make use of the mechanism described for reversing automatically the motor on any car immediately upon the failure in current-supply thereto, and as a further precautionary measure against accident I have arranged the system of switches and cut-outs described in such a way that, even with points 14 and 15 disconnected, in order to go backward the motorman has only one act to perform, while he must operate two switches before he can go ahead. Thus it will be seen that in operating cars upon an electric road in accordance with my system of signaling, cut-outs, and switches a rearend collision is absolutely impossible, provided the motor-car or train has not sufficient momentum to carry it entirely over a working conductor 0 or 0 without current supplied on such working conductor. It will also be seen that a head-on collision may be prevented by the motorman watching the signals indicating the condition of the track ahead of him in the manner already fully shown and described and operating the switches controlling circuits containing coils M and II on magnets E and F, electromagnetically controlling the supply of current to the motor, and that should he fail to do anything a collision can occur only between a car under motion and one standing still. In order to bring about a collision between two cars in motion, he must move two switches, which will serve more fully to call his attention to the condition of affairs as indicated by the signals than as though only one movement were required.

Attention is called to the fact that a block in my system consists of such a section of the system as is controlled in its operation by a single set of conditions or signals. Hence in that modificationof my system shown in the drawings a block consists of two working conductors, as C and 0, between any two adjacent pend ulous arms a. Attention is also called to the fact that the working conductors C and c are normally unsupplied with any current from the continuous feeder A, except when the circuit between the working conductors O and c and the rail 13 is completed through the motor-circuit of a car on the system.

What I claim is 1. In an electric-railway system, a continuous feeder, a series of working conductors normally unsupplied with current from such continuous feeder su flicient to operate the motorcars 011 such system, means, under the control of devices on the motor-cars of such system, for connecting directly to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on any block in such system on which a first one of such motor-cars happens at any time to be, means forpreventing a second motor-car subsequently arriving on an adjacent block, whet-her to the rear or in front of such firstnamed block, from similarly connecting to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on such adjacent block or section in such system.

2. In an electric-railway system, a continuous feeder, a series of working conductors normally unsupplied with current from such continuous feeder sufiicient to operate the motorcars on such system, means, under the control of devices on the motor-cars of such system, for connecting directly to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on any block in such system on which a first one of such motor-cars happens at any time to be, means for preventing a second motor-car subsequently arriving on an adjacent block, whether to the rear or in front of such firstnamed block, from similarly connecting to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on such adjacent block or section in such system, and means, under the control of such second-named motor-car approaching such first-named motor-car from the rear, whereby, when such first-named car has advanced onto another block or section, such second motorcar may secure a direct connection between such continuous feeder and the working conductors contained on that block on which such second car is located.

3. In an electric-railway system, a continuous feeder, a series of working conductors normally unsupplied with current from such continuous feeder suflicient to operate the motor-cars on such system, means, under the control of devices on the motor-cars of such system, for connecting directly to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on any block in such system on which a first one of such motor-cars happens at any time to be, means for preventing a second motor-car subsequently arriving on an adjajent block, whether to the rear or in front of such first-named block, from similarly connecting to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on such adjacent block or section in such system, a system of signals and means for-operating the same, indicating to the motorman whose car is located on such an adjacent block in such system, that such first-named block is occupied.

at. In an electric-railway system, a continuous feeder, a series of working conductors normally unsupplied with current from such continuous feeder suflicient to operate the motor-cars on such system, means, under the control of devices on the motor-cars of such system, for connecting directly to such con- IIO tinuous feeder the Working conductors contained on any block in such system on which a first one of such motor-cars happens at any time to be, means for preventing a second motor-car subsequently arriving on an adj acent block, Whether to the rear or in front of such first-named block, from similarly connecting to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on such adjacent block or section in such system, a system of signals and means for operating'the same, indicating to the motorman Whose car is located on such an adjacent block in such system, that such first-named block is occupied and also the direction in which such first-named motor-car is moving.

5. In an electric-railway system, a continuous feeder, a series-of Working conductors normally unsupplied with current from such continuous feeder sufficient to operate the motor-car's on such system, means, under the control of devices on the motor-cars of such system, for connecting directly to such continuous feeder the Working conductors contained on any block in such system on which a first one of such motor-cars happens at any time to be, means for preventing a second motor-car subsequently arriving on an adjacent block, whether to the rear or in front of such first-named block, from similarly connecting to such continuous feeder the working conductors contained on such adjacent block or section in such system, a system of signals and means for operating the same, indicating to the motorman Whose car is located on such an adjacent block in such system, that such first-named block is occupied and also the direction in which such first-named motor-car is moving, just as such first-named motor-car is leaving such first-named block or section in such system.

6. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, electrically-controlled devices located in a shunt around such motor, constituting means for reversing such motor upon an interruption of the current in such supply-circuit.

7. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, electrically-controlled devices located in a shunt around such motor, constituting means for changing the position of the brushes of such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supply- I sition of the brushes on such motor and for reversing the direction of the current traversing one of the operative elements of such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supply-circuit.

10. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, devices electrically controlled by the current supplied'to such motor, constituting means for reversing such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supply-circuit.

11. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, devices electrically controlled by the current supplied to such motor, constituting means for changing the position of the brushes of such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supply-circuit.

12. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, devices electrically controlled by the current supplied to such motor, constituting means for reversing the direction of the current traversing one of the operative elements of such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supplycircuit.

13. In combination with an electric motor and its supply-circuit, devices electrically controlled by the current supplied to such motor, constituting means for changing the position of the brushes on such motor and for reversing the direction of the current traversing one of the operative elements of such motor, upon an interruption of the current in such supply-circuit.

Wll/LH. COOLEY.

lVitnesses:

ALBERT O. BELL, HOWARD L. WILSON. 

